Odd Things
by Starsinger
Summary: Accidents happen, even on shore leave. Hurt Jim fic
1. Chapter 1

**Odd Things**

by Starsinger

**This is a stand-alone. Much has been made of Kirk's penchant for avoiding medical treatment to his detriment. Well, if he hadn't died in STID, he might have put off seeing McCoy for quite a while anyway, and pissed McCoy off. This isn't a character defect, I've known a LOT of men who do this! lol If JJ isn't able to direct the next movie, I'd love to see Nicholas Meyer, Star Treks II and VI, back at the helm. The Wrath of Khan is still the movie against which all other Trek movies are measured, and The Undiscovered Country was superb. Anybody else think it odd that, in a universe full of bad ass aliens, the best villain ever created was human? Still don't own them.**

It wasn't even and away mission, everyone was on shore leave. Dered III was a lovely Earth-like planet whose inhabitants were friendly and cautious, like most humanoids. They had warp capabilities, and enjoyed the trade and protection that membership in the Federation brought. Unfortunately, the planet on which they lived, like most Class M planets, was tectonically unstable. Like inhabitants of similar planets, they accepted this with the typical preparations.

Uhura, Chekov, Kirk and Marcus were at a café in the capital waiting for Spock and McCoy to join them when they felt the first tremors shake the ground beneath them. All of them stood immediately and headed for the middle of the avenue to get away from possible falling buildings and other debris. This one was a hard shake. All of them were thrown to the ground as it continued for what seemed like hours. Alarms started going off nearby as shops and homes started to collapse, burying people underneath. They watched as an explosion occurred nearby as large building went up in flames. As soon as the shaking stopped Kirk picked up his communicator as everyone got up and made sure they were fine, "Kirk to Enterprise, was that natural?"

"One moment, Captain," came Spock's professional voice. "Yes, Captain, it appears that the nearby fault line slipped. Do you require assistance?"

"Send down search and rescue teams, Spock, I'm afraid that there will be a huge loss of life if we don't help. Have Bones prepare Sickbay for incoming."

"Yes, sir," Spock responded.

Within minutes three teams appeared in different parts of the city with equipment to help move debris and assess which buildings still held life. The screams were the worst, Kirk realized. People trapped under buildings and unable to move. They all pitched in and helped where they could. It was hours under often under what felt like blazing temperatures, only broken by people handing them water and food, that kept them going. Suddenly, the warning rang out, "Landslide!"

Jim watched as tons of rubble and dirt came rushing down a nearby street. It was fortunately channeled through this street by the buildings nearby. As long as you were standing between buildings, you were okay. Unfortunately, a mother and child moved almost too late to get out of the way. Jim found himself running into the street and grabbing them before hotfooting it to the other side. No one noticed that large pieces of debris pelted him before they reached the other side. Safe at last, Jim was breathing hard and was sure the bruises caused by the landslide would precipitate a lecture from Bones if he didn't go to Sickbay when they beamed up. He smiled at the woman and reassured the child before rejoining the teams getting ready to depart in the fading light. They'd be back tomorrow to help more.

When they hit the transporter room Jim felt a large wave of dizziness course through his body. He'd stopped to eat like everyone else, so he knew that wasn't the problem. He sighed as he decided to make his life easier and head to Sickbay. At least it would make Bones' life easier, anyway. Chapel watched him enter, take off his boots and lay down in a nearby biobed. Secure in the knowledge that Bones, or M'benga would get around to him eventually. He fell asleep, and never noticed the fuss he stirred up. It was Chapel who noticed Jim's vitals start to fall, and it was Chapel who alerted M'benga to the Captain's condition.

M'benga was a competent doctor whose specialty was Xenobiology, Vulcan to be most specific. He still knew human biology and saw internal hemorrhaging when he saw the Captain's vitals. He called up the biobeds sensors and diagnosed exactly what was going on before ordering a surgical bay open for emergency surgery.

Later, McCoy, who was so busy on the other side of the bay he never noticed, glanced up to see M'benga and Chapel missing. When he inquired as to the whereabouts, a Yeoman told him an emergency case had walked in and they had taken him to surgery. McCoy never noticed the gold shirt on a nearby bed. He started immediately looking for Kirk, sure he needed his help. He had the entire ship in an uproar. No one could find Jim. It was Uhura who finally said, "When we got out of the transporter room he was headed for Sickbay."

McCoy's heart clenched as he looked over and finally spotted the gold shirt laying on a biobed, Jim's boots sitting there as well. Something was wrong if even Jim knew enough to get to his domain. He was about to order the computer to find the wayward Captain when Chapel and M'benga exited surgery, talking, "Well, it went as well as can be expected. We're lucky the Captain didn't have anything worse. The lung will take some healing, though."

McCoy noticed the bruises and oxygen mask covering Jim's face and torso. He watched carefully as the Orderlies carefully transferred him to an empty biobed and it turned on. The relief was evident in his face as Jim's statistics stabilized at what would be normal for someone fresh out of major surgery. M'benga looked up, "He was apparently hit by debris from a landslide. He came in on his own, and Chapel alerted me to his condition." M'benga smiled in satisfaction as he patted McCoy on the back. "The captain is fine. Some broken bones and a nicked lung. Nothing we couldn't handle."

McCoy nodded, he really did have the best staff in the universe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Who Are You and What Have You Done With Jim Kirk?**

by Starsinger

**Well, the title should say it all. lol Still don't own them.**

Kirk awoke slowly to the reality of Sickbay. He still hated the place, he hated hospitals more after spending months in one after the debacle with Khan. Sickbay was much more preferable. He blearily peered up and the grinning face of McCoy, "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Captain Kirk?"

"I come to Sickbay voluntarily and I'm suddenly not myself?" Kirk asked whimsically.

"Well, it's the only explanation I can come up with. You come in by yourself, and someone has to drag Chekov in. It's like you've switched bodies or something. I'd ask you if you can suddenly speak Russian and confuse things that happened in Russia for what happened elsewhere, but you already speak Russian."

"Fluently, what happened to Chekov?"

He got partially caught in another building collapse and wouldn't come to Sickbay. One of his roommates found him pale and going into shock and immediately called me. You can understand why I thought you two had switched bodies," McCoy said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I can," Kirk said looking at the oxygen mask. "When can you get rid of this thing?"

"Later, I just want to be sure, broken rib nicked your right lung where your heart would've been if it had been on the other side." Kirk winced, "You'll be fine. I'll let you go back to your quarters tomorrow, since you've been such a good boy."

"Did we lose anybody?" Kirk asked.

"No, no one died from the Enterprise. The casualty count on planet is at two hundred fifty. Would've been worse if we hadn't been here," McCoy patted Jim's shoulder. "Sleep, Jim, it's the best way to heal." Kirk nodded as sleep once again claimed him. He awoke again to find M'benga checking him out.

"Captain, good to see you back with us. How are you feeling? Any pain?" M'benga was professional, and his bedside manner was everything McCoy's wasn't. White teeth stood out against his dark skin as his Kenyan accent was apparent.

"No, M'benga, you do good work, thank you," Kirk responded with a smile.

"You are most welcome, Captain, you have visitors," he said moving away.

Uhura, Sulu, and Spock stood quietly waiting nearby. "Hey guys, have we left orbit?"

"We left orbit 2.3 hours ago and are on our way to Betazed to pick up the Betazoid Ambassador for the Tulenga Conference," Spock replied.

"Good, how's Chekov," he asked.

"He's stable," Uhura said. "Maybe he just didn't realize how badly he was injured," she muttered.

Kirk nodded, his body demanded more sleep, so his friends left him to it. The next day, McCoy released him to his quarters. Not before he stopped by to see the young Ensign. Chekov responded to his voice, muttering something about nuclear wessels and Admirals. Kirk grinned, Chekov would be fine. He'd come back later and check up on him. He walked outside to find Scotty walking up to him. "Jim!" he said with a grin. "Good to see ye back on yer feet, lad. Headed back to yer quarters?"

"Yeah, McCoy has restricted me to that, Sickbay, and the rec room, nothing too strenuous until the end of the week."

"Which means ye get to miss greeting the Betazoid Ambassador, ach, too bad laddie," Scotty said with an eyeroll. While most Betazoids were charming and friendly, Ambassador Torali was dour and closed mouthed. He made a good ambassador, unfortunately, he wasn't much of a conversationalist. Anyone partnered with him for dinner was usually bored to death. Spock did comment once that he was like most Betazoids and rarely communicated with his mouth, preferring to speak mind to mind. And while humans weren't completely psy blind, he preferred not to take on the onerous task of communicating with them verbally or mentally. He also preferred to stay in his quarters, so most people didn't have to deal with him.

It bothered Jim that Chekov hadn't gone to Sickbay after he was back aboard the Enterprise. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had something to do with it, even peripherally. Chekov was one of four people who watched him die that day over a year ago. Scotty told him that he'd tried to dissuade Chekov from doing so, that he was too young to watch Kirk die.

McCoy called Kirk over the comm to let him know that Chekov was awake. Kirk came down immediately and looked at Chekov. Chekov wasn't the first to quell under that withering gaze. "I'm sorry, Keptin, I did not realize that I vas injured."

"Chekov," Kirk sighed. "My issues have more to do with my traumatic childhood than anything else. I've seen your parents, your childhood wasn't that traumatic," Chekov's eyes were on his lap as he was propped up in bed. "You don't need me for a role model in this department, Chekov. Take care of yourself."

Jim swore he could hear Chekov whimper, "I am sorry Keptin."

"Besides, who would become chief engineer if something happened to Scotty. In spite of that Doctorate they gave me, that isn't my place. I need you where you belong, Lieutenant."

"But Keptin, I'm just an Ensign," Chekov said, his words trailing off.

"Yeoman, be sure to find Chekov a shirt with his new rank on it. Can't have other lieutenants bullying him around anymore," Kirk said absently to a nearby Yeoman as he continued out of the Sickbay.

"I von't let you down, Keptin," Chekov swore. McCoy and M'benga, who were nearby when Chekov was promoted, believed him whole heartedly with quiet smiles.


End file.
